Hangar door



Dec. 16, 1958 D. R. YOUNGER 2,864,133

HANGAR DOOR '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 7, 1955 f INVENTOR.

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HANGAR DOOR Filed NOV. '7, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 f /GL3 [9- E |9 I 9 I 3 F 23 WWW INVENTOR.

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Dec. 16, 1958 Filed. Nov. '7, 1955 Dec. 16, 1958 D. R. YOUNGER HANGAR DOOR '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 7, 1955 INVENTOR.

pwE/J z. YOUA/6E/2 ATTORNEYS Dec. 16, 1958 D. R. YOUNGER HANGAR DOOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. '7, 1955 INVENTOR. DWEA/ z. YOU/V652 ATTORNEYS Dec. 16, 1958 D. R. YOUNGER HANGAR DOOR '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. '7, 1955 INVENTOR.

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DWE'H E. YQUA/m BY g r/7m W1 7' ATTORNEY United States Patent O HANGAR DOOR Dwen R. Younger, Napa, Calif. Application November 7,1955, Serial No. 547,288 Claims. (Cl. 20 -19) This invention relates to doors and more particularly to a door adapted to close a relatively large door opening such as in airplane hangars and the like.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of application, Serial No. 448,675, filed August 9, 1954, now Patent No. 2,837,780, issued June 10, 1958, and entitled Radial Door.

Heretofore attempts have been made to provide doors which are supported from below the floor level of the structure in which the door opening is formed. See, for example, United, States Patent No. 2,614,835, of October 21, 1952, issued to Margison et al. However, a disadvantage of such prior art structures is that a relatively deep pit or hole is required to be provided under the floor level to receive all, or at least portions, of the door structure.

One of the objects of the present invention is therefore the provision of a hangar door-or the like which requires a minimum amount of excavation under the floor level to receive the door structure when the latter is in open position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a door formed to a circular arc along its vertical extent to provide optimum strength and provided with means for opening and closing the" same with a minimum amount of effort and power.

Inthe above noted Margison patent, there is shown a door structure in which door panels covering the greater part of the arcal extent of the door are relatively'movable to permit stacking the same. under the floor surface to reduce the excavation required .to house the door in its openposition. i

. .It is an object of the present invention to improve on structures of the. above type :and to-provide means for stacking and unstacking door'pa-nel's with a minimum of effort and. expense and in a manner that lends itself to use with radialdoors, and-planar doors.

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of means for stacking the panels of adoor in open position and at the same time arranging the panels in coplanar relationship in closed position. i Other objects of the invention will be seen in the following specification and in the. drawings.

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through a radial, door constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the excavated door receiving pit.of the invention showing the placement of the door supporting rollers and astaken along lines 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross section throughthe excavated pit as taken along lines 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of themechanisrn for driving the door panels.

Fig. 5 is a verticalcross section of the door driving mechanism as taken along lines.55 of Fig. 4 and showing-one drive unit.

. Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section through the open end of the door pit showing the manner in which the "ice door panels are stacked and. showing the door partially closed.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the door completely open.

Fig- 8 is a vertical cross section through a planar door and its excavated pit.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the door in partially closed position.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig.8 showing the door in fully open position.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical cross section through the top of the door frame of Fig. 8 showing the top seal cooperating with the top of the door.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross section through a pair of adjacent door stiles showing the guide rollers associated therewith and the means by which the door panels are secured thereto.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the manner in which the door panels are stacked in the planar door.

Figs. 14, 15 are enlarged vertical cross sections through the door pit showing the manner in which the doors are stacked and unstacked.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged detail of the drive mechanism for the planar door.

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the drive mechanism as taken along lines 17l.7 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary sectional view as taken along lines 18-"18 of Fig. 17 showing the guide roller cooperating with the door.

In detail, the invention is adapted to be employed with a structure having a roof or upper frame portion generally designated 1 defining the upper side of the door opening. In the drawings the floor level is designated 2 and, although in most cases said level will also be the ground level, the invention is not so limited. In other words, the floor level defining the lower side of the door opening may be an upper floor of a building structure. The present invention contemplates a plurality of door units in side by side adjoining relationship without door frames between said units. In other words, by the present invention a door opening of any horizontal extent may be closed by providing a suitable number of contiguous door units. However, only one door unit will be described in detail although the manner in which adjacent doors engage each other will also be explained.

With reference to the radial door of Fig. 1, each door or door unit comprises a pair of elongated door strength members or stiles 3, 4 preferably positioned along the opposite lateral sides of the door and adapted to extend generally vertically when the door is closed as shown in Fig. 1. Extending horizontally between said stiles are a plurality of-door panels 5a through 5e. Althoughfive such panels are shown in connection with the radial door of Fig. 1, it will be apparent that more or less panels may be employed if desired.

When the door is fully open it is entirely under; the floor level 1 andis contained within a pit generally designated 6. Pit 6 includes a door panel receiving chamber 7 which-extends the length of the door, and a pair of;stile receiving; compartments 9, 10 for respectively receiving the stiles'3, 4.

As best seen'inFig. 3, each stile compartment 9, 10 is sufficiently wide to also receive the adjacent stile of the adjacent door panel. Of course, the compartment at the extreme-end of the door opening need only be sufficiently wide to receive one stile.

The above described compartments are preferably defined by concrete walls and a top wall 11 which, also constitutes the floor of the structure. It will be noted that, if the door panels were integral with thestiles as shown in my copending application, the excavation re and move upwardly,

quired to define the door receiving pit would be much greater. In other words, chamber 7 would be required to be expanded to the full length of the stile compartments 9 10. By stacking the door panels in the manner to be described the excavation required is reduced and the construction simplified.

As best seen in Fig. 12, each stile 3, 4 is preferably a built up I-beam having a web 13 and flanges 15 formed by angle bars.

An outer plate 16 is secured as by welding to the outer flanges of the stile and on the outer side of plate 16 is secured a gear rack 17 extending the'length of its associated stile and meshing with a drive pinion 18 of a drive unit 19 (Fig. 1).

As best seen in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, two drive units 19 may be mounted on a common foundation 20. Each pair of drive units that operate each door unit are driven from a motor 22 positioned centrally of the door and operatively connected through a reducer with a counter shaft 23. The ends of counter shaft 23 are connected to a pair of operating units 19 which in turn drive the door. In this manner equal eflort and movements are imparted to each stile.

Each motor 22 may of course be remotely controlled from any desired point so that one or more doors may be operated simultaneously.

When the door is fully closed, it will be noted that the center of gravity of the same is spaced outwardly from the chamber 7 so that a couple is created tending to swing the door outwardly. To resist this couple there are provided in rolling engagement with each stile a pair of idler rollers on opposite sides thereof. As seen in Figs. 1 and 12, one roller 25 is rotatably mounted adjacent the floor level 2 on a shaft 26 and is formed with an annular groove 27 in which is received the gear rack 17.

Another roller 29, similarly mounted, is provided on the opposite side of each stile (Fig. 1) and which together with roller 25 effects a couple resisting outward swinging of the door when in open position.

-An additional roller 30 (Figs. 1, 12) may be provided on the same side as roller 29 and a guide roller 31 may be provided on the same ide as roller 25, see Fig. 1.

The stile compartments 9, 10 are preferably made arcuate so as to receive the door stiles 3, 4, and are provided with one or more rollers 32 for guiding the stiles as the door is opening and closing (Figs. 1, 2). A grating 33 is provided over the closed end of each stile compartment. Although drainage means is omitted from the drawings, it will be obvious that drainpipes, a sump, and pumps may be provided as desired to drain the various compartments.

From the above described structure, it will be apparent that opening and closing of the doors is a relatively simple matter that can be accomplished by merely actuating motor 22. At this point it may be noted that the structure is such that the door may be opened by gravity if desired, and especially in the event of a power failure, since the door will always tend to seek a position under the floor level.

A cover 34 is provided for closing the door compartment 7 when the door is in open position as seen in Fig. 7. This cover is hingedly secured at its inner end as at 35 to the floor 11 and is provided with rollers 36 which engage an extension 37 of the inner flange of the stiles when the door is open (Fig. 7). As the door starts to close the rollers 36 ride along said flange and the cover is thus swung upwardly. When the door opens the operation is reversed and the door closes to a horizontal position coplanar with the floor 11.

The upper door panel 511 is fixedly secured between the stiles 3, 4 and is biased along its lower edge as at 40 to receive the adjacent door panel b. Secured to the inner side of each web 13 of the stiles are a plurality of pairs of fingers 41 which, as best seen in Fig. 12, may be angle bars welded to said web. In Fig. 1 the fingers 41b are positioned about centrally of the door panel 5b and slantingly disposed relative thereto. The fingers 410 are similarly associated with panel 50 and so on. It will be seen that each pair of fingers in effect define a slot which is adapted to receive therein a roller 43. Each rectangular door panel 5 is provided with oppositely outwardly projecting shafts 44 at opposite ends thereof at the outer ends of which are rotatably supported rollers 43 (Fig. 12).

Spaced slightly inwardly of the rollers 43 is a fixed bracket 45. This bracket 45 may be fixedly secured at its inner end to the inner vertical wall 46 of the chamber 7 and extends outwardly almost into engagement with but spaced from the plate 16 of the adjacent stile (Fig. 2). Bracket 45 may be provided along its upper edge with a fixed angle bar 47 disposed so as to present an upwardly directed V-shaped track. Cooperating with track 47 is a roller 48 on shaft 44. Since the structure at opposite ends of each door panel 5 is the same, it will be apparent that said panels may be stacked in the position shown in Fig. 7 with the rollers 48 at opposite ends of each panel supporting the same on tracks 45.

The position and length of each pair of fingers 41 is predetermined so that, as the door moves upwardly to open position, each pair of fingers engage the corresponding roller 43 and urge it into the slot defined by said fingers, see Fig. 6. The adjacent panels are, of course, in sliding engagement with each other so that there is no necessity for providing any other means for holding the panels in their closed position. As seen in Figs. 6, 7, the adjacent edges of the various door panels are biased in a similar manner to the bias of panel 5a so that each panel is urged by gravity against the adjacent stiles when the door moves upwardly to closed position.

As the door moves downwardly to open position, the reverse action takes place. That is, as the rollers 48 engage the fixed track 47, their downward movement is arrested and the panels are thus lifted out of engagement with the stiles and stacked alongside each other on the track 47 (Fig. 7).

An angle bar track 50 may be secured longitudinally along the inner side of plate 16 so as to engage the rollers 48 when the panels are in their door closed position (Fig. 12).

By the above described structure, it will be apparent that the amount of excavation required is reduced to a minimum by stacking the door panels. Furthermore, when the door is in closed position the panels are coplanar. This is important for otherwise, if the panels were carried by the door in overlapping relationship, the door would become inordinately thick and cumbersome.

In Figs. 8, 9 and 10, there is shown a modified form of door that is planar instead of arcuate. As in the arcuate door, the planar door is adapted to be employed in a door opening in a structure having a roof portion 1 and a floor level 2.

In this case, the door comprises a pair of spaced vertical stiles 53, 54 at the opposite lateral side edges of the door. A pit 55 is provided for receiving the door when the latter is in open position. As in the case of the radial door, the pit 55 extends the full width of the door but intermediate its ends it need only be deep enough to receive the door panels. At its opposite ends the depth is considerably increased to provide relatively deep chambers 56 for receiving the stiles.

Referring to Figs. 1417, a gear rack 57 is provided on the inner flange of the stiles 53, 54 and said rack meshes with a pinion gear 58 on an operating unit 59 which in turn may be driven in a similar manner as the operating units for the arcuate door.

At spaced points along the length of the stiles the same are engaged by guide rollers 60, 61 on the outer side and two or more rollers 62, 63 (Fig. 14) may be provided in rolling engagement with the inner sides of the: stiles as described above in connection with the radial door.

Fixedly secured to the inner side of chamber 55 at opposite ends of each door units are brackets 65 on which are secured tracks 66 for receiving rollers 67 carried by the doorpanels 68b'through 68e. As in the case of the radial door, the upper panel 68a may be integrally secured to the door'stiles. Said panels are biased along their opposite longitudinally extending top and bottom edges as seen in Fig. 15. Each movable panel 68b-68e is provided with a pair of fingers 70b-70c defining slots for receiving rollers therein similar to rollers 43 of Fig. 12. 'It .will be seen the shafts 71- that carry the rollers 67 and also the rollers that enter the fingers 70 are secured to the panels 68 at points substantially above the center of gravity of their associated panels so that the panels tend to remain suspended thereby at all times. By this structure each.movable panel isurged into coplanar relationship with the fiXed panel-68a andagainst the stiles 53, 54 by gravity. As in the operation of the radial door, the fingers 70 successively pick up the panels from bracket .65 as the door is closed, and as the door is opened the brackets 65 arrest downward movement of the panels and stack them horizontally as seen in Fig. 9. The track 66 on bracket 65 slants downwardly inwardly of the dooropening for this; purpose.

The chamber 55 is closed at its upper end by a cover 73 (Fig. 14) which, when the door is closing, rests on the upper ends of the stiles 53, 54. Cover 73 includes top and bottom plates 74, 75 respectively. Bottom plate 75 is apertured to receive pairs of rods 77 integral at their lower ends with the stiles 53, 54 so that relative vertical movement between cover 73 and the door is permitted. Cover 73 is also provided with a peripherally extending outwardly protecting flange 76 that is adapted to engage a complementary recess formed in the floor 78. Thus, when the door recedes into the chamber 55, the cover 73 will remain flush with the floor level and permit the door to move downwardly an additional amount if required.

As best seen in Fig. each biased lower edge of the panels 68a68d may be provided with a horizontally extending seal 80 to provide a weather tight joint between adjacent panels. It will be understood that devices of this nature are adapted for use with the radial door also, although such seals are not shown in the radial door.

A weather tight seal may be provided along the upper edge of both the radial and planar doors in the manner shown in Fig. 11. Extending along the roof portion 1 is an elongated downwardly opening channel 82 in which there is a slidably received a similar but smaller downwardly opening channel 83 which is provided along its open lower side with a U-shaped gasket 84 formed of any suitable flexible material such as rubber, leather or the like. The cover 73 of the planar door (or the top edge of the radial door) is adapted to engage gasket 84 when the door is fully closed to provide the seal. Channels 82, 83 are slidably held together by a plurality of bolts 84 and are urged apart at all times by compression springs 85. When the door is fully open the springs 85 are compressed thus efiecting a tight seal between the door and the gasket 84. Complete separation of the channels 82, 83 is prevented when the door is not closed by nuts 86.

When two or more door units are employed to close the door opening vertically extending seals are employed along the contiguous edges of the door units as seen in Figs. l2, 16. It will be understood that such seals are equally adaptable for use with the radial door or planar door.

Along the outer side of each stile an outwardly opening channel is defined by angle bars 87 which cooperate with angle bars 15 that define the outer flanges of the I-beam stiles (Fig. 12). A U-shaped gasket 88 is formed over an elongated rigid strip 91) of wood'or the like so as to be slidable relative to the adjacent stile. A,plurality of-compression springs 91 urge the gaskets 88 outwardly at all times so that adjacent gaskets engage each-other in sealing relationship. Itwill be understood that the shape of gaskets 88 is such that they: slide over. each other with little friction and yet at the same time effect an adequate seal.

A great advantage of. the above describeddoors resides in the fact.that they completely disappear'below floor level when open. This eliminates all door and door frame obstructions and results in a readily accessible hangar area.

Since all. door units are completely supported; .from below, no door frames are required, and since each door unit is independently operable. the: amount of door opening desired may be selectively efiectedi Furthermore, engineering of the hangarstructure is simplified since all stresses due .to loading from the door are obviated.

The arrangement of the door; panels in coplanar relationship .is important not only; becauseundue thickness of the .door is avoided, .but .also because'the smooth exterior surface presents no corners, ledges, overhanging elements and the like on which snow or ice might accumulate.

It will be understood that .most of thefeaturesherein described. are equally applicable toiradial. and coplanar doors and for this reason some of the details have not been duplicated.

The herein specifically decribed structure is not to be taken as restrictive of the invention as it is obvious that various modifications in design may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A vertically movable door for a door opening in a structure having a floor level comprising: a pair of vertically extending rigid door stiles and a plurality of horizontally extending door panels extending between said stiles in side by side coplanar relationship and covering said opening ceiving chamber under said floor level of a depth sufiicient to accommodate said panels in side by side stacked relationship, a pair of stile receiving chambers substantially deeper than said panel receiving chamber for receiving said stiles when the door is open, driving means under said level for urging said stiles upwardly to close said door and unstacking means operable automatically upon upward movement of said stiles for successively shifting said stacked panels into coplanar relationship, said last mentioned means being operable to automatically shift said panels out of coplanar relationship and into side by side stacked relationship during opening movement of said door.

2. A vertically movable door for a door opening in a structure having a floor level comprising: a pair of vertically extending rigid door stiles and a plurality of horizontally extending door panels extending between said stiles in side by side coplanar relationship and covering said opening when said door is closed, a panel receiving chamber under said floor level of a depth sufficient to accommodate said panels in side by side stacked relationship, a pair of stile receiving chambers substantially deeper than said panel receiving chamber for receiving said stiles when the door is open, driving means under said level for urging said stiles upwardly to close said door and unstacking means operable automatically upon upward movement of said stiles for successively shifting said stacked panels into coplanar relationship, said last mentioned means being operable to automatically shift said panels out of coplanar relationship and into side by side stacked relationship during opening movement of said door, and comprising a plurality of panel receiving when said door is closed, a panel reslots on said stiles and a stationary track in said panel chamber. 7 V

3. A generally vertically movable door for a door opening in a structure having a floor level comprising: a pair of elongated door stiles formed along their length to an arc of a circle and extending generally vertically upwardly from said floor level when said door is closed, a plurality of horizontally extending door panels extending between said stiles and arranged in edge to edge relationship and covering said opening when said door is closed, means for moving said stiles along an extension of the arc thereof to a position below said floor level, a panel receiving chamber under said floor level and of an extent in the direction of said are sufficient to receive said panels in side by side stacked relationship, a pair of stile receiving chambers substantially longer than said panel receiving chamber in said extent for receiving said stiles therein when said door is open, driving means for urging said stiles along a path coinciding with the arcs of the same for opening and closing said door, unstacking means automatically operable upon closing movement of said door for successively shifting said stacked panels into edge to edge relationship, said last mentioned means being operable automatically upon opening movement of said door to shift said panels out of edge to edge relationship and into side by side stacked relationship.

4. A door for a structure having a floor level comprising: a pair of elongated door stiles adapted to extend upwardly from said level when said door is closed, said stiles being curved along their length to a circular arc, a pair'of rollers in rolling engagement with each of said stiles on opposite sides thereof and positioned below said level at spaced points providing a couple for supporting the unbalanced weight of said door.

5. In a door supported for movement from a closed to an open position along a path of travel, a plurality of elongated panels extending transversely of said path, a pair of fixed tracks, oppositely outwardly projecting extensions at opposite ends of said panels and adapted to be supported on said tracks when said door is open for stacking said panels in side by side relationship, a pair of members supported for movement along said path, and a plurality of slots formed in said members adapted to successively receive the extensions of said panels when said door is opening for arranging said panels in edge to edge adjoining relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,614,835 Margison et al Oct. 21, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 482,348 Great Britain 7 Mar. 28, 1938 

